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Mother of tow-truck driver: Judge's decision 'a win for Ross' URBANA — Dave and Marita Booker said they will continue to be vocal advocates for Scott’s Law, even though the young man responsible for the death of their son, a tow-truck driver, was convicted of a different petty traffic offense. “If you have a young child getting their license, sit down and talk to them about this,” Marita Booker said of the critical importance of giving one’s full attention to driving. “You can’t take your eyes off the road for a second. It’s not important to drive that fast. Nothing is that important that you have to hurry. Take time with your family. And take pictures. We’ll never get more pictures with Ross,” she said, her previously confident composure fading. The St. Joseph couple, married 34 years, spoke Wednesday at the Champaign County Courthouse, minutes after a remorseful Garrett Wingler, 16, of Tolono, pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in connection with the March 5 accident that killed Ross Booker. Through their attorney, the Wingler family declined to say anything more than Wingler had said in a two-and-a-half-minute statement he gave the judge. “Every day I am reminded of this terrible accident. I wish I could go back in time,” Wingler said. “I am not a bad person. I am a hard worker.” State’s Attorney Julia Rietz had dismissed a charge alleging Wingler had violated the “move over” law protecting emergency workers on the highway after reviewing an investigation by Champaign and Illinois State Police that showed Wingler was indeed in the correct lane when he struck Mr. Booker, 20. “This is a tragic accident. Ross Booker was a wonderful young man with great prospects for a wonderful future. Garrett Wingler is a wonderful young man who was on his way home from work and has a wonderful life ahead of him,” Rietz said. 'Collateral consequences' Judge Adam Dill fined Wingler $500 and declined a request from his attorney, Jamie Propps of Champaign, that he consider sentencing Wingler to court supervision. The finding might have enabled Wingler to get his driver’s license reinstated sooner, but Dill said it was not appropriate for him to “consider the collateral consequences of a conviction” in imposing a sentence. The Bookers said they were grateful to the judge for not giving Wingler court supervision. “That was a win for us and a win for Ross. He deserved it,” Marita Booker said. Although Rietz and Propps agreed to the charge to which Wingler pleaded guilty, with his father seated at his right, the attorneys asked the judge to impose a sentence. The Illinois Legislature has dictated that failure to reduce speed is a fine-only petty offense, so Dill’s only decision was whether to grant Wingler court supervision or enter a conviction on his driving record. He chose the latter in light of the loss of life. Calling it a tough decision, the judge thanked the lawyers for their professionalism in presenting him with ample facts on the accident and backgrounds on both victim and offender. Although Dill said his opinion on what Rietz charged was irrelevant, he agreed “wholeheartedly that the tragedy that occurred here is not a Scott’s Law violation.” “The appropriate charge was charged and Mr. Wingler has taken responsibility,” he said. In an emotion-packed 80-minute hearing, Rietz presented an unusual amount of testimonial evidence through Champaign police Detective Rob DeLong to explain why what happened was not a Scott’s Law violation as initially thought. While Dill didn’t need the education, the three dozen supporters of both young men’s families who were in court likely benefited from having the facts of that fateful night spelled out. What happened DeLong said both his department and a state police accident-reconstruction specialist thoroughly investigated the collision and agreed that Scott’s Law “did not apply.” Champaign police wrote him a ticket for that, DeLong said, based on Wingler’s mistaken response to an officer that he had been in the left lane of southbound traffic instead of the right lane, where he was. Video from cameras in a squad car and a tow truck confirmed that. The detective said Mr. Booker, a part-time employee of Tatman’s Towing, had responded to a two-vehicle, damage-only accident that occurred in the middle of the intersection of Windsor Road and Neil Street about 8:35 p.m. on that Saturday. A half-hour later, police and Mr. Booker were still there. One police officer was in a squad car facing north in the middle of the intersection with lights flashing to prevent motorists from going west on Windsor. In his back seat was a person from the earlier accident. Neither of them saw the tragedy that was about to unfold. A second squad car was in front of two Tatman’s tow trucks that had hooked up the cars. All three of those vehicles were facing north on the northbound shoulder north of the intersection, near Arby’s. DeLong said Wingler had just left his job at Harvest Market on South Neil Street and saw the emergency vehicles to his left as he headed south in the far right lane, which was open to through traffic. DeLong said other cars that had been in the left lane going south were merging over to the right. “He was five lanes over from the tow trucks,” DeLong said of Wingler’s position, pointing to squad-car video of the oncoming southbound cars. Mr. Booker was at the rear of the squad car sweeping the debris from the earlier collision. “He (Wingler) saw Ross Booker and tried to swerve (to avoid hitting him), but was unable," DeLong said. The impact, which was not shown on video, “happened at the rear of the squad car and in the right through lane,” DeLong said. Wingler stopped right away and was “fully cooperative and distraught,” DeLong said. The police officer and his passenger in the squad car did not see the impact but were alerted by another passing motorist who had and then banged on the squad car hood. DeLong said the accident-reconstruction specialist used a mathematical formula to estimate Wingler’s speed based on where Mr. Booker, his broom, sunglasses, hat and a coat button landed. It was between 35 and 43 mph in the 40 mph zone. “My conclusion is that Garrett Wingler was traveling southbound in the right through lane at or around the appropriate speed limit and that Ross Booker was in that lane,” DeLong testified. 'The outcome is unjust' Prior to the recommendations of Rietz and Propps for Wingler’s sentence, the judge listened to a 12-minute-long victim impact statement from Marita and Dave Booker that a family friend read for them. They talked of life milestones their son will miss — graduating from Parkland College with a degree in diesel mechanics, starting a new internship, serving as best man in their older son Anthony’s June 17 wedding to Cassie Mick, having a family of his own. He also worked as a volunteer firefighter and occasionally helped on a small hog farm. In the fog of trying to comprehend their son’s extensive brain injury, they decided to donate his organs for transplant and talked of the overwhelming love and respect shown them during that process. They spoke of the 1,500 people who came to his visitation and funeral and of the 70 emergency vehicles and tow trucks, many of them driven by people who didn’t know Ross, who joined in a procession to the cemetery north of St. Joseph where he was buried. Organizer Jim Hampton, the owner of Tatman’s Towing and Mr. Booker’s boss, said the procession was meant to bring attention to Scott’s Law. The Bookers urged Dill to reject court supervision, saying that Wingler was going too fast and the loss of his driving privileges was a small price to pay. “Either way, the outcome of this case is unjust and leaves us hollow,” they wrote. In a shorter statement, Anthony Booker, 26, said he’s still trying to accept the loss of the brother he named. “The hole in my life since Ross has been gone is impossible to climb out of some days,” he said. Although they were not recited aloud in court, Dill had read 12 letters of support for Wingler that Propps had given him prior to Wednesday’s hearing, along with his school transcripts showing him to be an honor-roll student. The letters from Wingler’s relatives and Unity High School staff described him as a hard-working, respectful student, marching band member and athlete who is finishing his junior year. They conveyed his remorse and how the otherwise pleasant, happy and compassionate teen is overwhelmingly saddened by what happened. Wingler told the judge he needed to be able to drive to continue to work, to get to his grandparents’ home in Mount Vernon where he helps them in the summer, and to eventually get to Parkland College. “I want to do good things and put my full effort into everything I do,” he said. Propps argued that a sentence of court supervision was in the best interest of the public and Wingler. “It’s in the public interest for him to work, further his education and to help his family,” Propps argued, saying that the loss of his driver’s license with a conviction would make those endeavors difficult. “My client has been a role model his entire 16 years on this planet. No matter what sentence, it doesn’t bring Mr. Booker back," she said. "I don’t want the court to throw my client’s future away." Resource Link

Suspect vehicle located in hit-and-run that hurt 2 tow truck drivers 05.17.22 (FOX 9) - The suspect vehicle believed to be involved in a hit-and-run that injured two tow truck drivers on Interstate 35 early Monday morning has been located. The Minnesota State Patrol on Tuesday said the vehicle, which was described as a Lincoln MKZ, has been located, noting this is an "open and active investigation." It's unclear if the suspected driver has been arrested.

Timothy Scott Griffin, 27, a resident of Parham Road, died Friday, May 13, 2022. Born on December 14, 1994 in Vance County, he was the son of Timothy James Griffin of Wilmington and Carrie Clark Franklin of Oxford. He was employed with Fred Towing and Transport, and served in the North Carolina National Guard. A graveside service will be held Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Sunset Gardens by Rev. Daniel Blasky. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Heather Tharrington Griffin of the home; one daughter, Lillian Jade Griffin; three sons, John-Luke Thomas Griffin, Easton Scott Griffin, and Jameson Wade Griffin; and his step-mother, Danielle Zola of Wilmington. Serving as active pall bearers will be Lance Lickness, Thomas Franklin, Chris Norwood, Cameron Pearce, Daniel Paynter, and Dallas Boyd. The family will receive friends prior to the service at Sunset Gardens from 10:15 until 11:00 AM on Thursday, and following the service at the home. https://www.jmwhitefuneralhome.com/obituary/timothy-griffin

2 tow truck workers injured after hit and run on I-35 in southern Minnesota RICE COUNTY, Minn. - Two tow truck operators were struck by a vehicle on I-35 on Monday morning, and a search is underway to find the driver responsible. The Minnesota State Patrol said it happened just before 2 a.m. at milemarker 74when the tow truck operators were working in the left lane to remove a vehicle. “The vehicle did not stop and continued northbound from the scene. The Minnesota State Patrol is trying to locate a 2006 Lincoln MKZ that is black in color. The damage to the Lincoln will be on the driver's side door and is missing the driver's side mirror. If you have any information please contact the Minnesota State Patrol at 507-285-7409,” the state patrol said. Both workers suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of a flatbed tow truck fled after knocking over a traffic signal light in a collision with a sedan Wednesday night on Maui Veterans Highway at Hansen Road, police said. The crash occurred at 7:38 p.m. when a Mercedes sedan tried to turn left from the highway onto Hansen Road and collided into the tow truck that was traveling northbound on the highway, police said. The force of the collision caused the tow truck to hit and knock over the traffic light, police said. A 25-year-old Haiku woman driving the Mercedes reported no injuries, police said. A 57-year-old Kahului woman who was a passenger in the tow truck was treated at the scene by medics for minor injuries, police said. The tow truck driver, a 36-year-old Kula man, fled the scene before officers arrived, police said. An investigation is continuing. A portion of Maui Veterans Highway was closed, with Kahului-bound lanes redirected onto Hansen Road, according to police. The road was reopened by 5:22 a.m. Thursday. Resource Link

MATTOON — A Mattoon motorcyclist died early Thursday evening from injuries he suffered when his motorcycle struck the back of a tow truck on U.S. Route 45 south of Lake Land College, reported Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers. Motorcyclist Michael J. McKenna, 69, was pronounced dead at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center following the collision, Schniers said. The coroner said his understanding is that the tow truck was driving on Route 45 at the time of the collision. The Illinois State Police is handling the investigation of the collision. Resource Link

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PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — Crews responded to a strange crash in Pawtucket early Wednesday morning. A flatbed tow truck went off I-95 around 3 a.m., crashed through a fence and went down into an embankment. The two cars it was carrying were thrown off and ended up upside down on East Street. One of them was seen wedged up against a utility pole. Police say no one was inside the cars and the two people who were in the tow truck were both able to get out. They were taken to the hospital to be checked out. More tow trucks were brought in to tow away the damaged vehicles. No word on what led up to the crash. Resource Link

MIAMI – A semi tow truck worth close to a million dollars was stolen from a business around early Saturday morning. Surveillance video shows several people pulling up in a white big rig at TruckMax Inc., 6000 Northwest 77th Court, around 1 a.m. They went through the fence and hitched a chain to the metal gate. Video shows the big rig pulling down the gate. According to investigators, the keys were not inside the truck, but the thieves were able to start up the truck worth $800,000. The truck that was stolen is used in tow situations to lift bigger vehicles, such as a bus. The owner said that since so few of these type of truck is manufactured, he says if someone has a key to one, it can easily start another. The truck was recently at an auction and was sold pending final transaction details. The owner suspects that maybe someone spotted it at auction and found out where it was being stored. The investigation is still ongoing. Resource Link Reward is up to $20.000

Tow truck driver’s pistol stolen at Dearborn Heights Co-op Towers A tow truck driver reported that his Glock G26 Gen3 9mm subcompact pistol was stolen from the running board of his tow truck between 11 and 11:45 a.m. May 3 while he was helping a customer with a vehicle lockout situation at Dearborn Heights Co-op Towers, 16600 W. Outer Drive in Dearborn Heights. The victim said he had removed the gun from his hip holster because he didn’t want it to fall off when he was crawling inside his customer’s vehicle. He said he thoroughly searched the vicinity, but the pistol was nowhere to be found. The gun was entered into the Court and Law Enforcement Information Network as stolen. Resource Link

The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a wrecker policy workshop for those wanting to be on the Liberty County non-consent wrecker rotation list. The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on May 12 at the Jail Administration Building, 2400 Beaumont Ave., Liberty. Representatives from the Liberty County Attorney’s Office will be in attendance to answer questions that arise during the workshop. Also expected to be in attendance are members of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. This meeting is for Liberty County wrecker drivers and wrecker truck company owners who meet the TDLR requirements for maintaining and operating a tow truck, or a vehicle storage facility in Liberty County. For more information, contact John Headrick by calling 936-336-4500 or sending email to john.headrick@co.liberty.tx.us. Resource Link

Ocala tow truck driver killed when pickup he was hauling hits and drags him almost 30 feet A tow truck driver was killed Monday when the vehicle he was towing struck him and dragged him about 30 feet, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Troopers said the incident occurred about 3:30 p.m. on Southeast Second Street at Southeast 54th Court. The intersection is south of Fort King Street and just west of Baseline Road. The 38-year-old Ocala tow truck driver had repossessed a F-350 pickup truck and was towing it along the roadway. He stopped for some reason, perhaps because he detected a problem. Authorities said the man got out of the vehicle and went underneath the pickup truck. But the tow truck was not in park. The tow truck moved forward, and the pickup struck the man and dragged him approximately 30 feet, FHP said. After the incident, someone saw the tow truck and called 911. Medical personnel arrived and pronounced the man deceased. The highway patrol no longer releases names of people involved in traffic fatalities. Officials said a 9-year-old boy, who is the man's stepson, was in the vehicle at the time. He was not injured. The investigation is ongoing, FHP said. Resource Link Editor's note: This story has been revised after the Star-Banner received new information about the 9-year-old boy's relation to the tow truck driver. Tow truck driver found dead under vehicle attached to truck in Plantation PLANTATION, Fla. – A tow truck driver was found dead Friday morning under a vehicle that was attached to his truck, authorities said. Plantation police said they were called about a traffic accident in a parking lot at 8100 W. Broward Blvd. Officers arrived to find the tow truck driver's body under the vehicle. The driver was identified later in the afternoon as Francisco Canjura, 34, of Tamarac. The cause of death is under investigation, but one of the owners of the repossession company, Prowler Recovery, told Local 10 News reporter Layron Livingston that it appears that his employee didn't secure the vehicle well enough and the SUV ran over him. "He was taking the car out of gear because it was an all-wheel drive vehicle," Stuart Weinstock said. "He got underneath it, didn't realize that he left the truck in drive and it crushed him." Weinstock said Canjura worked for his company for 12 years. "This kid was just a down to earth, good-hearted, hard-working, unbelievable individual, and for this to happen is just a mess, man," Weinstock said. A larger tow truck was brought it to lift the SUV so authorities could remove the victim's body. Resource Link

Mississauga owner says Designated Towing Zone pilot project unfair to smaller towing companies, driving up prices, slowing response times. Sitting in his office in Mississauga, Tony Pento picked up the phone and called 411. The owner of Atlantic Collision Group told the operator that he was looking for the wait time for a vehicle disabled on Hwy. 401, near the airport. That would be 30 minutes, the operator told him. Pento runs a tow truck company and auto body shop on Atlantic Avenue in Mississauga and said that he’s concerned about the wait times under the new restricted towing zones pilot program. The program only allows companies who bid on a tender for the project to attend to vehicles along the 401 through Mississauga, as well as a number of other 400-series highways in the GTA. “A lot of companies didn’t get the tenders,” Pento said, explaining that tow truck drivers who have serviced the highway for 40 years or more didn’t qualify. “This is going to take their livelihood away.” He worries that when traffic levels return to normal after the pandemic, this handful of companies won’t be able to keep up with the demand for service on major highways in the GTA. "Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’ve been clear that our government would step in to improve provincial oversight and shut down criminal activity in the towing industry, and that’s exactly what were doing," said Dakota Brasier, spokesperson and press secretary for Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "We launched a four-year tow-zone pilot program, that introduced restricted towing zones on select sections of provincial highways in the GTA." The province has an established fee schedule for light duty to heavy tow trucks, ranging from $225 an hour up to $850. "This pilot will help protect people, make our roads safer, and cut down on the massive costs of gridlock that plague Ontario’s highways," Brasier said. Pento, who also sits on the City of Mississauga’s Towing Industry Advisory Committee is also concerned about a new oversight program that the provincial government is establishing for the towing industry. The Towing and Storage Safety Enforcement Act (TSSEA) is a proposed regulation that would be phased in starting Jan. 1, 2023. The program is being developed in response to issues pertaining to fraud, violent crime, safety and customer protections, as well as make a level playing field for tow truck drivers in the industry. Mississauga Coun. Carolyn Parrish said this policy was modelled in part from the Mississauga bylaws, which have been regulating the local industry since 2008. Since its inception, the program has removed 90 tow truck drivers from operation for having criminal records and reduced 30 other plates to cool competition in the area. “We thought they’d take us as a model,” Parrish said, talking about how provincial staff asked for Mississauga’s participation in consultation on the TSSEA. “We’re not thrilled with it because we’d like to have the local control.” For Joey Gagne, CEO of Abrams Towing, the provincial regulations would make it much easier administratively for him as an operator in a number of Ontario municipalities, including Brampton and Mississauga. Instead of getting plates and approvals for trucks in each municipality he serves, he would go through the Ontario government. “Everybody should be talking from the same playbook,” he said, noting that he feels it would be fair for all tow truck operators to be following the same regulations. Up in Caledon, Mayor Allan Thompson asked OPP detachment commander Mike Garant about how the proposed policy impacts his team. Garant said that the town should be proud of their own individual oversight of tow truck drivers, and that former Caledon OPP officers were involved in the development of the TSSEA. The town of Caledon is changing their own regulations to cap the daily fee for storage of a vehicle at impound lots to $60 a day, after finding that other companies in the GTA were bringing vehicles north in order to charge a higher daily fee. “There’s many similarities to the Caledon bylaw,” Garant said. “They don’t contradict each other.” Ron Lilly runs Git R Done Towing in Caledon and agrees. “In the long run it’s going to be good,” he said, but took issue with the restricted towing zones pilot. “It’s kind of discouraging that I can’t go down and get my own customer off the highway,” he said. “Customer requests should be allowed.” STORY BEHIND THE STORY: After concerns were raised about the new provincial towing industry policies at a recent Peel regional council meeting, we wanted to look into how tow truck operators were affected by the new policies. Resource Link

'Whatever Ross had his hand in, we’re going to be volunteering in' ST. JOSEPH — Tatman’s Towing owner Jim Hampton said Ross Booker crammed more in his 20-plus years of life than many people three times his age are able to do. “I don’t know of anybody who has done as much as he had in 20 years,” Hampton said of his former employee. “Some people in their 70s haven’t done as much as him.” Mr. Booker, who would have turned 21 this month, died March 6, a day after he was hit by a vehicle while preparing to tow another away from an accident in south Champaign. He had worked for Tatman’s for about a year and was preparing to start an internship as a diesel mechanic with Ryder Truck Rentals after completing the requirements for Parkland College’s Diesel Power Equipment Technician program. Last week, his family was notified that trustees had approved awarding him a posthumous honorary degree. That degree is just one of the ways Mr. Booker, of rural St. Joseph, will be honored. His mother, Marita, who said her son was scheduled to begin his internship at Ryder in mid-March, said an endowment has also been set up in his name at Parkland. “We’d also like to do something for FFA (at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, where he graduated), 4-H,” she said. “Whatever Ross had his hand in, we’re going to be volunteering in.” She said Prairieview-Ogden Junior High, which Mr. Booker attended, is also set to hand out an award May 9 in his honor. “This St. Joseph community is the best community to be a part of,” she said, adding that her husband, Dave, her son, Anthony, “and I and our extended family are beyond grateful, blessed and lucky to be a part of this community.” “We’ve had people in their 70s who said, ‘We’ve never seen a community like yours,’” she said. “It’s got to have a God-centered faith and God-centered love. We’re overwhelmed by the amount of love poured out and over us by this community.” Marita Booker estimated 1,200 to 1,500 people came to her son’s visitation, which started at 4 p.m. and was due to end at 7 p.m. but lasted another three-and-a-half hours due to the influx. His brother Anthony, who said they were close despite being five-and-a-half years apart, said Mr. Booker didn’t care much for book learning. He’d rather be out getting his hands dirty. “It kind of cracked me up the differences in people,” Anthony said. “He could barely make it through the two years, and here my fiancée will have been in school for 11 years. I said, ‘Ross, just a little bit longer.’ “He was definitely not one for the classroom setting. I think he liked to be involved and in the middle of everything.” Ross had been a volunteer with the St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Department for about a year, his mother said. Hampton called Mr. Booker “awesome, one of the kids that you’re really fortunate to have as an employee, as a teammate.” “He had a great attitude and a great outlook on life,” he said. Hampton said Mr. Booker loved “the adrenaline rush for what goes along with towing, working on the highways.” “He loved the customers. He touched a lot of customers,” he said. “After Ross passed, we’ve had a lot of customers he did help give their condolences on social media, and we had people donate to the Ross Booker Scholarship Fund at Parkland.” Marita Booker said her son wasn’t afraid to put things into perspective for those who had been in accidents. “He saw a mom kind of threaten her kid about driving” after the son had been in a wreck, she said. “He told her, ‘Just be glad he’s OK.’ “He was 20 at the time giving wisdom to a mom who should have been glad her son was OK.” Marita Booker said she tried to pass that along to her sons when they would ding the car: Material things can be replaced; it’s people who are important. Her son was also noted for his woodworking ability, building a kitchen table for the family in his father’s shop. He also did landscaping. “He had a phrase for that business: ‘If you want your landscaping to be a looker, call Booker,’” his mother said. Hampton said while Mr. Booker was set to intern at Ryder as a diesel mechanic, he also intended to keep working part-time for Tatman’s. Not long before he was due to start at Ryder, “the guys were having fun with him and calling him ‘short-timer,’” Hampton said. “He said: ‘I’ve got a surprise for you. I’m going to stick around.’” Anthony Booker said his brother was a “hard worker and stubborn at times. He was very caring and always a happy camper. I talked to him every day.” Anthony said he was excited for his brother to experience the “next things coming up in his life — where he’s going to go, who he’s going to work for, what he’s going to do, what awesome opportunities were going to be presented to him.” Anthony and fiancée Cassie will be married June 17. Mr. Booker was to be best man. “It’s definitely like an empty spot now,” his brother said. Resource Link

From junked SUVs to stranded sedans, Philadelphians are contending with a historic deluge of abandoned vehicles — as well as a speedboat, Tastykake truck, and Scott Wagner campaign mobile. The party was over in Germantown, but one stretch limo never made it home. Since January, that rusting, silver chauffeur car has been moldering by a community garden on Hansberry Street in the Northwest Philadelphia neighborhood, taking up several parking spots and posing an eyesore for neighbors. Duct tape secures its rear bumper and lights, its back window is busted and patched over with trash bags. “It was funny on the first day,” volunteer garden keeper Claudia Ginanni said of the decaying Lincoln Royale. “It’s not funny on the 90th.” From junked SUVs in Southwest Philly to stranded sedans in Kensington, Philadelphians are contending with a historic deluge of abandoned vehicles. The list includes flatbed trailers and cherry pickers, graffiti-marred speedboats, orphaned Tastykake trucks, and a campaign van once used by former gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner. Officials say they face a backlog of more than 34,000 active reports of abandoned vehicles. In the past, the city had towed between 10,000 to 12,000 cars off the streets each year. But those numbers have dropped, while complaints have risen nearly fivefold between April 2020 and the beginning of this year, according to an Inquirer analysis of 311 data. Residents are also waiting longer than they have in years for the city to act on these reports. In 2020, it took two months on average for the city to have an abandoned car towed after it was reported. Now it takes closer to six months. The city blames the growing fleet of cast-aside cars on everything from a spike in pandemic-related complaints, to staffing issues at the police unit that is supposed to investigate abandoned cars, to changes in state rules for towing junkers. City spokesperson Sarah Peterson said surging unemployment during the pandemic caused more people to ditch their vehicles, while more people were at home to notice and report the nuisance. Around the same time, she said, the state ordered municipalities to hit the brakes on towing, because some owners may have simply been waiting for the money or time to perform repairs on their vehicles. But City Hall also made decisions that contributed to the mess. Pennsylvania law requires police to investigate and authorize the removal of an abandoned vehicle. In Philadelphia, the Police Department’s Neighborhood Services Unit handles that duty, as well as other quality-of-life issues. But the unit has been wracked by staff attrition since the pandemic — sometimes reassigning officers to fight crime. As a result, police statistics show the number of vehicles the unit has removed from the streets since 2019 has dropped by almost a quarter. The backlog is unlikely to shrink anytime soon. Peterson said there are no immediate plans to put neighborhood services officers back on the abandoned car detail, as they are needed for various public-safety initiatives aimed at deterring violent crime. “As critical areas in the city stabilize, the command staff will determine the next steps,” Peterson said. Although Mayor Jim Kenney called for a one-off removal of hundreds of abandoned vehicles from Kensington as recently as 2019, abandoned cars now add to a list of quality-of-life complaints that critics say compounded over the last two years: chronic illegal dumping, a backlog of outed streetlights and a bug-ridden 311 system. Now, some say that needs to change. City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier called for a budget infusion to address the glut of abandoned cars, saying the neglected vehicles themselves attract crime. She noted that the majority of abandoned car complaints originate from zip codes with high rates of gun violence. Gauthier said the city needs to either ensure the police department has the resources to remove cars or find another agency do the job. “There’s no reason police should be handling abandoned cars in addition to a number of other quality-of-life issues that fall on the police department’s plate,” she said. To Read the entire story click the link: https://www.inquirer.com/news/abandoned-cars-philadelphia-police-towing-20220424.html

New Report By Assured Standard Reveals Key Tips to Minimize Tow Truck Insurance Costs Through Risk Management. California, April 2022: Assured Standard presents a new report that reveals key tips to minimize tow truck insurance costs through risk management. The report was compiled by the company’s insurance experts and released to help truckers understand the relevance of risk management. The article was published on Assured Standard’s website to highlight the importance of risk management in lowering insurance costs. The full report can be found here. While tow truck insurance rates generally range between $4,000 and $5,000, high-risk truckers can pay up to $15,000 per year for their coverage. At-risk clients typically pay a higher premium. Trucking service providers need to reduce their associated risk factors to enhance their overall insurability. This publication addresses the need for risk management to minimize tow truck insurance costs. According to Assured Standard, the report was produced after in-depth research by their experts. The report’s primary focus is on actionable tips to bolster risk management. The experts in the report explained how trucking companies can lower their insurance costs through this strategy. The report was published as part of their regular research on trucking insurance. For more information on how commercial truck insurance reduces costs, readers can visit their page: https://www.assuredstandard.com/commercial-truck-insurance-reduce-accidents-and-costs/. “The publication analyzes the proper risk management to keep tow truck insurance costs down. It helps trucking companies by providing key tips on risk management that can help them minimize tow truck insurance,” said Arthur Williamson, Chairman, and CEO of Assured Standard. Since the company’s launch, Assured Standard has provided advice and recommendations for businesses and truckers to help them find the right insurance policies. It hosts an extensive library of online resources on insurance policies to help businesses choose the right commercial insurance program. The insurance advisor aims to help businesses and trucking companies. by delivering information, advice, research, reviews, comparisons, analyses, and practical tips on all the essential aspects of different types of insurance they may need. It also features insights and analyses from industry experts. Readers can learn more about general liability insurance coverage by visiting their page: https://www.assuredstandard.com/what-is-general-liability-insurance-coverage-in-trucking/. Williamson said, “Our mission is to help businesses get the tailored insurance policies that guarantee the company is abiding by the law and saving itself from additional penalties.” According to Assured Standard, readers need to be informed of all their insurance options, and the pros and cons of each policy before making an informed decision. https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/new-report-by-assured-standard-reveals-key-tips-to-minimize-tow-truck-insurance-costs-through-risk-management

https://defector.com/the-trucks-got-stuck-together/

Delaware State Police are investigating a tow truck robbery that occurred in the Wilmington, DE area on Saturday evening. On April 16th, 2022, at approximately 7:00 p.m., troopers on patrol in the area of the B.P. Gas station located at 708 Philadelphia Pike in Wilmington, DE observed a large number of ATV’s and dirt bikes driving erratically and creating hazardous conditions for other vehicle traffic. As troopers responded to the gas station, the operators of the ATV’s and dirt bikes began to flee the scene. One ATV was abandoned by its operator in the parking lot, and it was towed from the scene by Holly Oak tow truck company. The tow truck began transporting the ATV to its tow yard, but the driver was confronted by two subjects on Cauffiel Parkway east of Philadelphia Pike. Numerous ATV’s and dirt bikes surrounded the tow truck so the driver could not leave the scene. The two subjects then threatened to harm the tow truck driver and passenger if they did not release the vehicle to them. The subjects were eventually able to remove the ATV from the bed of the tow truck, and they fled the area with the vehicle to an unknown destination. Neither the tow truck driver nor the passenger were harmed in this incident. Both suspects are described as black males, approximately 20-30 years of age. No further information is available at this time. RESOURCE LINK An ATV was robbed off of a tow truck near Bellefonte Saturday evening, according to Delaware State Police. Police said they saw a number of ATVs and dirt bikes driving along Philadelphia Pike near the BP gas station, which they said was causing hazardous conditions for drivers. Police said when they arrived at the gas station, the drivers fled, although one of the ATVs was left behind. Holly Oak Towing was called by police to take the ATV to their tow yard, but en route, the other ATV and dirt bike drivers returned, allegedly circling the tow truck driver and passenger, threatening injury if the ATV was not released. The ATV was eventually removed from the bed of the tow truck, and the bikers fled to an unknown area. The tow truck driver and passenger were uninjured. The suspects were described as men aged 20-30 years old, but no additional information was available Resource Link

Alpena police investigate fatal car crash ALPENA COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) – One person is dead after a car crash early Saturday morning in Alpena County. Officers from the Alpena Police Department and Alpena City Ambulance were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash on Ford Avenue near East Herman Street around 3:40 on Saturday morning. Officers say a Jeep Cherokee driven by an 81-year-old Alpena woman was traveling southwest on Ford Avenue when it struck a wrecker. The wrecker was parked on the street and unoccupied. Resource Link

FYI: Sheinelle Jones is a Today Show News Anchor

It sounds like this Tow Truck Operator did just that and was given praise in this video. Sheinelle Jones Spent Part Of Easter In A Tow Truck

4 people hospitalized after a multi-vehicle wreck in Ojai (Ojai, CA) Four people, including a 14-year-old teen suffered injuries following a wreck Thursday in Ojai. As per the initial information, the authorities actively responded to the 1900 block of E Ojai Avenue, also known as Highway 150, near the intersection with Boardman Road at around 8:14 a.m. on reports of a multi-vehicle accident. The early reports showed that the two vehicles went into an embankment following the head-on crash. One of the vehicles flipped over following the wreck. The reports revealed that a flatbed tow truck was also involved in the crash. On arrival, first responders rescued two people from the vehicle that had rolled over. A 14-year-old teen was rushed to Ventura County Medical Center with critical, but non-fatal injuries. The other victims were taken to various hospitals with less significant injuries. According to the authorities, all the injured victims had minor to moderate injuries. Ojai Avenue between Gridley Road and Gorham Road was shut down until 3 p.m. No other details are available. An investigation is ongoing. Resource Link

Man sentenced in Pacifica murders Original Topic Updated Today: Click Here

Man sentenced in Pacifica murders A 28-year-old man found guilty of stabbing two people to death along Skyline Boulevard in 2019 was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole Friday, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office said. Malik Dosouqi stabbed 32-year-old Abdulmalek Nasher on June 17, 2019, and 31-year-old John Sione Pekipaki the next day. Dosouqi lured Nasher, a cab driver, to Skyline Boulevard, where he murdered him with a large knife. A Sheriff’s Office deputy found Nasher’s body at 11:09 p.m. in a dirt area west of Skyline Boulevard and just north of Reids Roost Road. Dosouqi then called for a tow truck to the site and stabbed Pekipaki. Officers arrested Dosouqi after he fled and nearly ran over officers with his car. Evidence showed the crimes were premeditated and that he lured the two men up a dark stretch on Skyline Boulevard, prosecutors said. The sentencing ends a long court case that started in 2019. Court-appointed doctors found Dosouqi incompetent to stand trial in 2019. He spent around six months at Napa State Hospital, after which doctors restored him to competency. His court trial lasted for seven days after starting March 7 of this year. He was sentenced April 15 following statements from the victim’s families. Resource Link

Posted to Linkedin by Pantusa Towing & Recovery Join us in celebrating Frankie today. Frankie has been working for us as a dispatcher for one year. Her role as a dispatcher involves handling the phones, setting up routes and finding solutions for customers in the shortest time possible. Frankie’s willingness to help others and train fellow employees makes her a valuable asset to Pantusa Towing and Recovery. Thank you, Frankie for all your hard work and dedication. We appreciate you!